1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to estimating measuring devices and more particularly, a device for estimating postage requirements for envelopes, and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many persons utilizing the United States Postal Service do not have ready access to weighing equipment for the determination of the postage necessary for the mailing of a letter, or the like. It is frequently difficult to ascertain whether or not additional position, or postage above the minimum amount is required for assuring that the letter will be carried properly through the postage system. As a result several devices have been developed for "home use" which provide a relatively close estimate of the required postage for a letter, such as those shown in the Mills U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,885. These devices have certain disadvantages, however, in that the envelope usually lays in a substantially horizontally disposed position on a rule member, with the envelope preferably spaced at a selected distance from the fulcrum of the rule whereby the rule functions in the manner of a weighing scale for roughly estimating the postage required for the mailing of the item. The envelope tends to slide along the surface of the rule during the estimating operation, and as a result the operation of these devices is relatively inefficient.